The present invention relates generally to photography.
Photographs are taken in a wide variety of situations. In some situations, such as still life photography, the speed of operation of the camera is of little importance. The photographer may spend considerable time arranging the scene to be photographed, placing lights, and selecting camera settings. The time required for the camera to perform an automatic focus or determine proper exposure is inconsequential.
Photographs taken in other situations are time-critical. For example, in photographing a sporting event, a primary goal is to capture dramatic scenes that are often unpredictable and nearly instantaneous. In this situation, the speed at which a camera operates is extremely important.
However many cameras, especially those designed for consumer use, do not accommodate this variation in time criticality. The camera performs the same sequence of steps, including selecting focus and exposure settings, regardless of the circumstances under which the photograph is being taken. This is frequently an area of dissatisfaction for camera users. At times when the photographer would prefer to modify the camera""s criteria for its settings, and may even be willing to compromise the thoroughness or flexibility of the camera""s operation in order to capture a fleeting photographic opportunity, the camera provides no mechanism for doing so. This is especially true for users of digital cameras.
There is a need for a camera that can accommodate an urgent photographic opportunity.
A camera senses the speed with which the photographer actuates the shutter release. The actuation speed is taken as an indication of the urgency of taking the photograph. The camera tailors its operation based on the actuation speed, thus ensuring that urgent photographs are taken quickly. Alternatively or additionally, the camera may select a relatively short exposure time for urgent photographs.